


All is (Not) Fair in Love and War

by RobinsonsWereHere



Series: Whump Week 2019 [3]
Category: Psych
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Established Relationship, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Shawn Whump, Shules, Stabbing, Whump Fic, established shules, whump week
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-09
Updated: 2019-07-09
Packaged: 2020-06-25 07:31:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,020
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19741066
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RobinsonsWereHere/pseuds/RobinsonsWereHere
Summary: Shawn likes to finish things quickly on his date nights with Jules. Sure, there are nights when dinner dates are postponed or interrupted, but there are at least as many when Shawn manages to solve the case in the nick of time. And tonight, it's especially important that he do it quickly...but of course, things rarely go smoothly for Shawn Spencer.





	All is (Not) Fair in Love and War

**Author's Note:**

> I've had this idea for a long time, and over the months it has evolved into this. Also wish me luck on the rest of whump week bc the fic I'm writing for Thursday is hella involved

Juliet is only half paying attention to her phone call as she scrolls through the information on her screen. “Shawn, I’m really sorry, but this is a tough case; it’s not the kind of thing that can sit over the weekend- or even overnight- until someone comes back to it. We’ve been working on it all week, we’re so close… I’m going to need a rain check on dinner tonight.”

_”Yeah, Jules, I understand,”_ Shawn replies, but she can hear the sigh when he pauses. She can hear the disappointment in his voice. _”I mean, I’m on this case too. We’re both busy. But…”_

Juliet bites back a sigh of her own. “But what, Shawn?”

_”Uh, if you- if we solve the case tonight, is dinner still on?”_

Juliet smiles, huffing a laugh at her boyfriend’s eagerness. “Of course, Shawn. I love you.”

_”Love you too. Kisses.”_

“Kisses.”

\-----

Shawn groans, drawing Gus’ attention from across the Psych office. “What’s the matter?” Gus asks.

“Jules is postponing our dinner date until the case is solved.” Shawn melodramatically splays himself out as best he can in his desk chair.

“Well… you have to admit that’s fair, Shawn. I mean, a young woman brutally murdered, hardly any evidence to speak of? If any sort of case can be prioritized over another, this would be it.”

“You’re right, Gus, you’re right. And it’s not like I haven’t had to cancel on Jules or even stand her up a few times. But, it’s just… I had special plans for tonight.” Shawn sighs, louder this time, and curls in on himself. He’s just about to open his laptop and get back to work when Gus paces across the room to him, eyes narrowed.

“Hang on, Shawn… what kind of ‘special plans’?”

Shawn, once again childish, mutters an answer under his breath.

“What was that?”

“Do you really wanna know?”

“Of course! You’re my best friend! We’ve already agreed I’m gonna be best man when you marry Juliet.”

Shawn groans and holds up his hands in a gesture of defeat. “Alright, alright. I’ll explain, even though you’ve clearly figured it out. You know that fancy new restaurant just past the pier? The one where, if you sit outside, you’ve got the peacefulness of the shore but the view of the marina?”

“Damn, that place is fancy.” Gus is impressed. “Go on.”

“Well, I’ve got reservations there. It’s much nicer than our usual spots, but also still us, y’know?” Shawn has a faraway look in his eyes and a lovestruck grin on his face. “It felt… it felt perfect, when I went in to make the reservation. It felt like Jules would love it. It felt like the perfect place to propose.”

Really, Gus had already figured out Shawn’s plan, but it’s still a bit of a shock to hear him say it. “Woah. You think you’re ready? Both of you?”

Shawn nods solemnly. “A hundred percent, buddy… or at least ninety. Whis is why-” Shawn pauses and dramatically grabs his computer- “we have to solve this case… in the next four hours.”

\-----

Three hours later, Shawn insists he’s ten minutes away from solving the case. Gus points out that he’s a ten minute drive away from his suspect, which will at least double the estimate.

“I’ve heard it both ways, Gus,” Shawn deflects. “I’m just gonna go out on a limb and assume the owner of the strip club had some sort of deal with the victim’s ex-boyfriend, AKA murderer. Blue tie or black?”

“Why are you getting dressed _now?”_

“In case it takes longer than I think to solve this, obviously. The girl was killed, like, within sight of the strip club, yeah? And didn’t the owner and the ex graduate high school together?”

Gus glances at the computer. “They did. Do you want me to come with you? I have to deal with a drug recall at Santa Barbara General…”

“Go make some money, Gus. I’ll be fine. Where’s my shoe?”

After locating both shoes, Shawn bids Gus goodbye and shoots off a quick text to Juliet- _Im like 72% sure I’ve solved the case_ \- and then grabs the ring off his desk. His phone doesn’t even make it off of the couch.

\-----

Lassiter frowns, rereading the statement from the victim’s ex-boyfriend. “Hey, O’Hara, the owner of that strip club was the one who confirmed the ex’s alibi, right?”

“Mm-hm.”

“Remind me again where the body was found?”

There’s silence interrupted only by the clacking of his partner’s keyboard, and then a small gasp. “Literally two doors down from the strip club, in the back alley!”

Lassiter slams his fist victoriously on his desk. “The club owner and the ex-boyfriend- the _murderer-_ were in cahoots!”

Juliet is grinning brightly as she stands and pulls on her blazer. “Let’s go!” She glances at her watch. “Oooh! If we hurry, I can make my dinner date with Shawn!”

“Priorities much?”

“Kindly save your judgemental remarks until after the arrest, please.”

\-----

The sun is setting and the sky is turning to an indigo blue by the time Juliet and Carlton arrive where they’d found Fiona Redfield’s body six days ago. Sure enough, they’re not the only ones there, but the sight awaiting them makes Juliet wish they were. Their victim’s ex-boyfriend is viciously mauling another man with a knife, and when Carlton’s Ford pulls in, he drops the man and the weapon and runs.

Lassiter immediately gives chase. Juliet, ever the good cop, swallows her revulsion and prepares to follow. Except, the figure on the ground looks a little too familiar. Remembering an earlier text from Shawn, Juliet’s heart speeds up in her chest. Even from yards away, Juliet can see blood spreading over a now-ruined white dress shirt. The formality of the suit is belied by the tousled brown hair of the dying man.

She almost doesn’t want to look, doesn’t want to see those familiar hazel eyes clouded with pain. But before she knows what she’s doing, Juliet has taken off across the dirty asphalt and is kneeling next to her bleeding boyfriend. “Fuck,” she curses as she confirms that it’s Shawn. “Fuck, Shawn, wake up.”

Somewhere across the alley, her partner realizes what’s going on. Juliet only knows this because his exclamation of “son of a _bitch!”_ echoes between the buildings around them.

“Call an ambulance!” Juliet screams, her hands moving frantically over Shawn’s mutilated chest. The gashes are mainly over his upper chest, so his intestines are safe, but there are too many wounds to count and there is a worrying amount of blood near his heart.

“Shawn, please,” Juliet murmurs, brushing a hand over his cheek. Behind her, she can hear Carlton on the phone. She ignores him and keeps begging. “Come on, Shawn, wake up.”

His eyes flutter open, and he coughs. “Jules.”

“Shawn, hey, it’s alright, you’re gonna be just fine, stay with me, okay? Don’t leave me.” Juliet’s voice breaks on the last sentence.

“Jules,” Shawn repeats. “Love you so much. More than anything.”

“I love you too, Shawn,” Juliet whispers, crying even as she tries desperately to staunch the bleeding.

“Hey, look on the bright side,” he pants. “At least I get to spend the rest of my life with you.”

Juliet lets out a choked sob. “Yeah, you do, Shawn, but that doesn’t end now. You gotta stay with me. We’re going to grow old together, and we’re gonna retire to a beach house where we can watch our grandchildren run wild. We deserve that.” _If there is any god, any higher being in this universe, at least give us that._

Shawn smiles softly at her as his eyes fall closed. He tries to speak, but coughs blood instead. Juliet has to actively work to not break down. “Shawn, please. Please stay with me.”

She can hear sirens, and then Carlton is crouching next to her. “The ambulance is on it’s way,” he offers. “It’s the best chance he’s got.”

Juliet nods and swallows her tears. “He’ll make it,” she insists. “He’s got to.”

\-----

The turmoil of emotions Juliet is dealing with only gets worse between the alley and the hospital. Once they arrive, nobody will tell her anything. While Carlton goes after Shawn’s personal belongings, Juliet heads for the nurse’s station.

“Excuse me, do you have any information about a patient who was just brought in, Shawn Spencer? I’m Detective Juliet O’Hara, I’m his emergency contact.”

The nurse frowns, and types at her computer. “I’m sorry, Detective. Mr. Spencer is being prepped for surgery, as far as I know. I assure you, you will be notified as soon as there is any change in his condition.”

Juliet smiles politely and swallows the urge to demand more information- in all likelihood, this nurse legitimately doesn’t know. “Thank you,” she says quietly.

By the time Juliet makes it back to the waiting room, she’s once again stifled the urge to cry. She meets Carlton’s eyes across the room. “I got his stuff,” her partner says. “Most of his clothes were ruined, but, uh. I think this was- _is_ for you.”

She catches what he tosses her on reflex, but when she sees what it is, her heart stops. She stares blankly down at the black velvet box, stunned by its implication. A sound leaves her throat that’s some choked combination of a gasp and a sob.

“O’Hara?” The chief has arrived, standing in the doorway behind Juliet.

“I need a coffee,” the detective gets out, rushing from the room.

\-----

It takes Carlton fifteen minutes to find his partner, which is fairly fast, considering she doesn’t want to be found. She’s squeezed herself in between a vending machine and a coffee dispenser, and is shaking with sobs as tears stream silently down her face. Carlton carefully reaches for her arm.

“Hey, Juliet. I didn’t mean to upset you.”

She sniffles and shakes her head. “It wasn’t- it wasn’t you. I just- god, this isn’t fair!”

He rubs her back and waits patiently for elaboration. Sure enough, she continues. “Shawn shouldn’t have been there. He shouldn’t have gotten hurt. That’s not justice.” Juliet takes a shaky breath. “I understand that sometimes, we have to make sacrifices. And- and _I_ am more than willing to lay my life on the line, should it come to that. But Shawn didn’t take the oaths we did. He shouldn’t have gotten caught in the crossfire tonight. I feel-” she chokes on another sob. “I feel like that’s on me… like I didn’t do my job.”

“It’s not your fault,” Carlton assures her, pulling her into his arms. He doesn’t say anything else, because the only other thing he can think is that this is Spencer’s own stupid fault, for rushing in too fast again. He doesn’t think his partner wants to hear that. So he just holds her, and for a few minutes, it’s enough.

\---

Gus rushes into the ER waiting room, phone clutched in his hand. The scene before him makes him skid to a halt, reluctant to interrupt. Juliet is curled on the faux-comfortable loveseat of the waiting room, either crying or having done so recently. Next to her is Lassiter, watching his partner nervously as he lays a hand on her arm for comfort. The chief paces, looking from the nurses’ station to her phone and back again. Gus swallows, then clears his throat to interrupt.

Chief Vick is the first to react. “Wow, Mr. Guster, you’re here quickly. I expected Henry to be the first to respond.”

“I’m sure he’ll come barging in any moment now,” Gus replies quietly. “I was, uh, already at the hospital. I left-” he feels strangled by the truth. “I left Shawn so I could finish some work here.” He’s always been an easy crier, but somehow, the tears surprise him when they come. “I left him to face a murderer alone.”

Juliet straightens and looks him in the eye. Everything about her radiates defeat, and her voice is soft and broken when she speaks. “You didn’t know, Gus. You couldn’t have done anything. It’s-” She breaks off, shaking her head. “It’s not alright. Even I can’t say that.”

Lassiter groans. “This pity party is getting unbearable. Come on. We’re getting up, we’re walking. Through the courtyard, or something. Let’s get food and find some decent coffee.”

Juliet’s nose wrinkles. “But what if Henry shows up? Someone needs to explain to him-”

“Someone needs to explain to me what the hell happened to my son!” Henry Spencer barges into the room, looking a bit unhinged. Gus takes a step back; everyone else freezes.

“Henry, there was nothing anyone could’ve done,” Chief Vick begins, her voice calm. “Detective O’Hara acted quickly enough to keep him alive until the ambulance arrived. We were there seconds after it happened. We did what we could.”

“Seconds _after_ it happened,” Henry spits. “Just too fucking late, huh?”

“Look, Spencer, I don’t see how you can put this on us when your son is the one who keeps rushing off without telling anyone-”

“Carlton, stop.”

The room quiets when Juliet speaks. Henry fixes his attention on her, and she looks up at him. “We did our best, but Shawn still got hurt. Henry, you were a cop. You should know that we can’t always save everyone.”

Henry nods and swallows hard. “Yeah. I know. Still hurts.”

Juliet sighs. “It really does.”

\---

The next two hours are quite possibly the worst of Juliet’s life. Every time she looks at the information board, it’s the same: **SHAWN SPENCER- IN SURGERY.**

She curls into the chair and remains there, listless. Carlton brings her coffee. Gus brings her food. Henry sits next to her, still and silent. The chief leaves after less than an hour, but Juliet can’t fault her for that; she has a job to do. And then, finally, something changes.

First, the board changes from ‘in surgery’ to ‘post-op’. And then, a few minutes later, a nurse appears. “Family of Shawn Spencer?”

They all stand, and after some flashing of badges, they’re all let through. At first, Juliet is relieved. But then she catches sight of Shawn in his hospital bed.

The love of her life is far too still. The room is dim, lit only by a single fluorescent light. Juliet stands there, amidst the beeping machines and bandages that already look vaguely pink with blood, and does the only thing she can do. She takes Shawn’s hand in hers, and then finally, she breaks.

Practically collapsing into the chair by the bed, Juliet hunches over Shawn, ragged sobs tearing from her chest. She knows her friends are still there, still watching, but she has been doing her best not to lose it all day and she simply cannot hold it in any longer. It’s not _fair_ that she’s so close to losing Shawn, that he still might not wake up. It’s not fair that they should have had a wonderful night, that he should have gotten the chance to propose, and instead she’s sitting in the hospital with the ring as he lays there, unconscious. None of this is fair, and the ache in her chest is only getting worse as the weight of reality settles on her.

“I love you,” she whispers hoarsely. “I love you, Shawn. I’m sorry I couldn’t save you. I love you.”

\---

The doctors say when Shawn wakes up, he’ll be moved from the ICU to a recovery room. But Shawn doesn’t wake up. A full day passes. Juliet doesn’t leave, but Carlton brings her a change of clothes. She wonders how he knew that she’d want Shawn’s sweatshirt instead of her own.

Another day passes. When she can no longer stand to be stuck in the cramped, dark hospital room, Juliet wanders the hallways. She never goes far; she wants to be there when Shawn wakes up. And the beeping of the heart monitor reassures her.

Day three sees visitors and pineapples and Henry and Gus joining Juliet in her vigil. But Shawn does not wake up.

It’s been four days by the time Juliet can bring herself to actually open the ring box. The ring inside is beautiful, ornate in a quiet way. She slides it on her finger and blinks back tears, wishing that Shawn was on one knee in front of her. Once again, she stares at his sleeping form in front of her. “I love you. And I will marry you. Once you wake up and ask me.”

Henry notices first. He tells her that the ring belonged to Shawn’s grandmother, and her mother before her. Juliet, at a loss for words, accepts the hug he offers her silently.

\---

Shawn blinks. His head feels fuzzy, and his chest hurts, and he’s nauseous.

_Where am I?_

He can’t see much, only shadows and indistinct forms. He hears a beeping, and he feels someone holding his hand. He turns to look. “Jules?”

She stirs, and as he waits for her to wake up, he notices something. On her finger is a ring- the same ring he last remembered being in the box he’d pocketed before leaving the Psych office.

“Shawn,” Juliet breathes, grinning down at him. Her hair is mussed and she looks like she might have been crying.

Shawn looks from her to the ring on her finger. “I haven’t asked you yet.”

She leans down and kisses him, cupping his face with both hands. “Well, the answer is yes.”

Even though it hurts, he lifts his arm to take her hand in his. “Marry me?”

“God, yes.”

She keeps kissing him, and Shawn lets her, dazed from the pain medication and the kissing and still not quite remembering how he’d gotten to a hospital in the first place. “Jules?”

“Yeah?”

“I’m okay now.”

She gives him a watery smile. “Thank god for that.”

Shawn can feel himself being dragged down by the need for sleep. He mumbles one last thing as his eyelids drift closed. “Love you.”

Jules curls up next to him, climbing into the hospital bed. “Love you too.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! I enjoy comments and kudos!


End file.
